I’m 67 and using TR for the third year and more dedicated than ever to see how much improvement I can make. I haven’t raced as such, other than doing the Senior Olympics. I compete against myself and can keep up with lots of guys 20-30 years younger, except on hills >5%, where the aging heart hits its limit. Working on losing 10lbs to help with that.
I’d enjoy hearing from and connecting with other 60+ cyclists on how they use TR, if it’s improved their cycling, and any pointers. We’re obviously not the main demographic for TR but I thoroughly enjoy the podcast and find more satisfaction in completing a TR workout than the videogaming on Zwift.
Your post hasnt garnered any attention. Was looking just to see if there would be feedback as issues relating to older riders are of interest to me.
I am not yet 60…dont get there till May. I am interested in how age catches up and impacts us we get older. My own situation is I have had health issues all my life. Started riding at age 55 with zero fitness after two major surgeries. I have been using TR since 2015. Learning how to handle increasing stress on the body and dealing with my own health issues have been my challenge.
So for me recovery and knowing when to back off on the intensity have been a constant learning experience. I originally started TR to be able to not lose fitness over the winter. This lead to getting a power meter and realizing the benefit of continuing to do more structured rides even when outside it is really nice just to go out and ride. I havent used the feature of the outside rides incorporated within TR.
I continue to work on strength and improving my core strength. I find it hard to integrate the strength work. I do find yoga works well with cycling. I go to physio to deal with overuse problems which seems to always end up with some yoga exercises to deal with.
Brent, I casually cycled for many years but didn’t get serious about training until the Fall of 2017 when I was 65 and started TR and indoor training over the winter. In 2018, I did my first full century and ended up doing three centuries in three weeks in June of 2018 (and in the intense summer heat at that). Last July, I was at mile 97 of a century and a car turned in front of me, causing a crash, my helmet broke through windshield, and broke ribs. I couldn’t ride for over a month and my conditioning took a big hit, that I’m still recovering from (current FTP 210). Listening to Chad and the TR podcast, I’m following their advice that recovery is as important as the hard workouts. I think that’s even more important over 60. I’m currently doing Sweet Spot Base 1, low volume, indoor on a Kickr (with the Inside Ride e-Flex motion system, E-FLEX motion system for the Wahoo Kickr smart trainer — Inside Ride, which I love and makes indoor riding much better). The training load is not too difficult, so I’m deciding whether to move up to mid-volume or just supplement with outside road and mountain bike rides. Like you, I find getting to the gym for weight training difficult, although I know it’s important. I haven’t tried yoga in years and would like to incorporate it if I can find the time.
I have tried the outside ride feature of TR in the summer/fall and enjoy it. The training is not as precise as indoors, as you have to pause the TR ride (but your overall ride keeps recording, - quite clever how that works) at times due to stop signs, etc. but it’s so nice to have a coach directing you on an outside ride. And I don’t think it would work well on group rides due to the varied watts required. I think there’s likely a 10-20% fall off in absolute effectiveness, but the tradeoff is worth it for the scenery, IMHO.
What’s appealing and intriguing to me is that cycling is a sport where we over 60 cyclists can continue to challenge themselves to improve in a sport as we head toward “retirement” from our occupations. (I’m still working full time as an attorney.) There are signs of aging that I’m experiencing from the subtle to the major (e.g., treatment for prostate cancer three years ago), but what a wonderful thing that we can still work on “mastering” our cycling skills. In addition to the many obvious health benefits, there is a invaluable psychological benefit. For me TR provides the structure of a virtual coach at a reasonable cost that I find more enjoyable than the “gamification” of Zwift. It would be nice if they could add some scenery, although some riders do that using Youtube or Rouvy, which I may try. For now, I’m watching Better Call Saul episodes while doing my TR workouts.
I have a friend who is 74 and uses it and he is constantly improving FTP over and over after completing each program. He just started using structured bike training and TR about a year ago though before that he was a volume guy that just did swim,bike,run for like 20 hours a week haha
Very encouraging to hear that improving FTP can continue at 74! I sometimes think/fear that improvement will stop at some point at a plateau and slowly decline. For me, it’s not about racing others but about trying to compete against myself.
Old Farts Unite! I’ll turn 61 in a month. First winter on TR, just finishing SSBMV1 this week. Only been riding a few years from a running and kayaking background but always active in something. I can tell by the way my body has responded to the last few weeks of training I’m in better cycling condition and Monday will tell if my FTP went up (Ramp Test is Fun! Just keep saying it over and over) I hope to piss off a lot of younger guys on gravel as the grey beard is already deep into his beer when they finish their ride. Got some work to do to make it happen but pretty confident it will, trust the system.
I need to do a better job of using TR. I’m 61. TR got me back feeling really good on the bike a couple of years ago, and then I overtrained because I was still doing most of my TR plan while riding long distance events. That was really discouraging. I ended up losing 10% of my FTP, which I haven’t gotten back.
Part of the problem is that I need to readjust my timing, I need to start doing base in September. But that is the time of year when I slack off for a bit.
I’m sure there are a lot of people on here over 60. That is an age where a lot of cyclists are still really strong. Others, like me, got away from cycling in their 30s and 40s and now it’s a struggle.
I’m 61 and have been using TR for a few years. Started with a basic wheel-on trainer, but decided TR is better than riding outside in the winter (I’m in an urban part of north west England) so invested in a Tacx Neo.
I don’t race – although I’m tempted to have a go at Cyclocross – so I’m training just to be better able to handle longer rides when the weather improves, and to maintain fitness as I get older.
I rode my first sportive (gran fondo in the US) last year, the Tour of the Borders in Scotland – 56 miles and 2900 feet of climbing. I was quite surprised how well I handled it, which I’m sure is down to the base-build-specialty preparation I did with TR. So I’ve signed up for three events this year, including the full length version of the “Touro” (74 miles 4688 feet). I’ve put it into Plan Builder as my “A Race” and its interesting to see how the algorithm has laid out the training plan compared to my own choices last year.
For reference I’m 5’6’’ / 168cm and 144 lbs / 65 Kg, FTP is 189. I’m hoping to get the FTP up to 200 by the time of my main event at the start of September. And that weight should be lower, but we’ve just had Christmas, so I’m working on it!
I’m 54 and I live in the Borders and was considering entering the Tour of the Borders this year. is it a good event? Would you recommend it? I’ve got the Etape Loch Ness comng up in April so I’m busy training away on TR for that at the moment.
Yes I’d definitely recommend it. As you live there I don’t need to tell you what the scenery’s like, but its an attraction for us “southerners”. I’m visiting Peebles three times this year as the other events I’m doing are Gritopia (the gravel ride) and Skinny Tweed.
The organisation was excellent, far better than the UCI World Championships sportive which I also rode last year: much better signage and marshalling, and the whole event was just a pleasure. The “Wall of Talla” climb is a bit of a challenge, but I managed it in the saddle, and TR has the tools to prepare for it.
Hope this helps.
I am a CPA and there are a number of us that cycle regularly in the office. In fact I took our server room in the office for one of my partners and facilitated the space so he could set up his trainer to ride at lunch. He likes it as the room is kept fairly cool for the server. I still prefer riding at home in the late afternoon is optimal for me.
I do find cycling has had a really positive impact on how I feel and my ability to work. It is great to get on the bike and ride and deal with the various tax issues that need to be resolved while I ride.
I used to watch shows but I found music really does play a good role in reducing the RPE. I tend to use rock from the 70/80s for the harder efforts. I have TR running on my Ipad. I have a large TV off to my side. I tape the Tour de France when it is on so I have numerous rides to put on while I ride. I just find watching the peloton stuggle up some long climb while I am doing VO2 somehow motivating. So I tend to have two devices to watch and one to listen to. Lots of distractions which just seems to make the riding easier.
59 here, 60 in November. Just started to use TR with my new Neo 2T.
Been running for about 8 years, developed a couple injuries and took up cycling training 2 weeks ago as a way to work on my endurance, etc, until I can get back to running.
Simply love TR and my Tacx.
When I get more time I’ll get more involved in the happenings here in the forum.
I started cycling 10 years ago at the young age of 60 years old. I have never raced, focusing rather on ultra endurance rides in the California Triple Crown series of double centuries. As such, my training has been traditional long slow distance up until joining TR 2 years ago.
This introduction to structured training was the best decision I have made. Despite a declining max hr, VO2 max and wattskg, I have raised my FTP over 40% over 2 years which points out both the benefit of TR, and the low level I was training at before. As I approach my 70th year, I have never felt better about my training performance, along with enjoying the process as well. I only wish I had dicovered the TR “family” earlier.
A 40% increase is most impressive! And to achieve that as you approach 70? Bravo! My current goal is to raise my FTP 10% back to my previous best in 2018. In starting this thread, I thought it would be good to get some discussion of training for over 60 on the TR podcast. The more of us there are, the more the Chad and the guys should be interested in providing some specific guidance for the “masters” of all masters!
the number in my screen name reveals my birth year. I’ll turn 78 this summer. I use TR to keep me consistent and honest with myself, but at the same time push the numbers as far as I can.
As others have mentioned in this thread, I have found work off the bike essential to what happens on the bike. I keep track of what fails first when under extended load on the bike and then work on it off the bike. It could be core (TVA), triceps, glutes. Also consistent stretching, range of motion, strength work, etc. I do about 4000 miles annually on the road and trainer. I live at 4500 feet elevation (Salt Lake City) and all rides go uphill from there, the most challenging topping out at +7500 feet. While I love to ride, my key motivation for TR is to maintain maximum cardiopulmonary capacity as the years roll on. My docs tell me if I don’t have that up to par it won’t matter what else I do have, it will never make for the shortfall in CP function. Everything starts there. With its structure and progression of effort, TR is the best way I know to accomplish that. While I have seen gains in standard cycling metrics in the past couple years, the hard truth is there comes a point where the real objective is to slow down the predictable fading of physical strength and endurance that comes with age. you can’t stop that, but one can absolutely slow it down. For me, conditioning is not a project, but a process; not a task, but an investment; not an objective, but a way of living. My outlook is best expressed by Graeme Obree (“The Flying Scotsman”) who held several hour and pursuit world records in the early '90s… He said "My biggest fear is not crashing on a bike…Its sitting in a chair at 90 and saying, “I wish I had done more”. Greg LeMond said years ago about training “It never gets easier, you just ride faster.” My version…“It never gets easier, you just get slower slower.” Ride on!
I do think that is one of the negative perceptions that the TR team propagate. Undoubtedly your capabilities reduce as you get older.
What they dont seem to acknowledge is that a lot of older people are getting into cycling (MAMILS) at a later age and have not got a 30 year training history. They can still improve. The other point is that is retirement or part-time work comes into play there is opportunity to increase training hours - in some cases perhaps double the weekly hours. If used correctly that can undoubtedly help with improving fitness at an older age.
I can’t speak from too much experience. I’ll be 67 in a month and have been using TrainerRoad for about a little less than a year and a half. I’ve used it enough to be able to compare two Sweet spot base mid-volumes 1 and 2, one from 2018-2019 and one from 2019-2020.
I didn’t start cycling in 2018. I hurt my shoulder, AC luxation grade 3. Didn’t feel like taking the risk of outside rides in the Swedish winter. I’ve been a randonneur (long distance cyclist) for a few years before that.
This is my summary comparing last TR season to this present one. My FTP has increased 10% (197 to 2013, testing again next week) and workout for workout, my pulse stays slightly lower despite cranking out 10% more watts.
I’m pretty picky about doing all the workouts on time, unless I’m sick. Last year I quit doing them when the brevet season started (March/April). This year I am going to try to keep it up, using the plan builder and being realistic by going down to low volume during the brevet season.
I don’t race. Brevets are not races (unless you want them to be, some people do, but that is their own internal agreement). The result is “finished” or “did not finish”. I’m happy with that classification.
The only real reason I want to go faster, is to build a wider window at controls, in particular the control I plan to sleep at. I do 200, 300 and 400 straight through. I need to sleep when I do 600 km or above. I notice that with age, even a quick 20 minute nap is nice on a 400 km.
Precisely, John_Hallas! I watch most podcasts and usually walk away with something I can apply to my scenario of life, but its no secret I’m not in their target audience. Nevertheless, I find it more productive listening to something where most of it is aimed above my level of competence than to listen to something aimed at my age demographic where most of the population is below my level of competence. Its hard to say that without sounding like I think I’m superior to my demographic segment, but that’s absolutely not the point. I just do something that most of them don’t do. They also do some things I’ll never do. At the same time, a quick scan of the >75 segment on Strava reveals a pretty short list of players so I know I’m never going to move the needle when it comes to a business model aimed at folks 40-60 years younger than me. Any marketing presentation (which is what the podcast is at some level) will reflect the characteristics of the target audience and if I’m not in that target audience I’l notice it. I have found the same thing going on with bike sales and bike fitters. It is a very small minority who understand the implications of aging on the interface of rider with bike. Again, that is a target audience/business model issue. I have found a fitter and a bike vendor who do understand aging to the extent they know far more about my capabilities than I do and they fit/market me accordingly (and honestly). I’m on the bike today largely due to their insight and recommendations.
68 years old here. I have been using TR for several years. The last 4 years or so have been injury plagued and TR has been invaluable in recovery. This summer will hopefully be a test of how far I have risen or fallen in my biking. I really appreciate the training programs.
I’m just in my early 50’s, but I’ve got a former teammate who is in his mid 60’s and crazy strong. He’s a smaller guy and well over 4w/KG. Always winning or in contention in 60+ racing and beating guys 30+ years younger. I don’t see him much any more, but he’s still a big motivation for me trying to stay fit as possible as the years pass. I’m thinking 60+ is the new 40+